TNs - why bother?

[sdr]

Having recently surpassed 4000 tasting notes I have posted on Cellar Tracker, I asked myself why I bother.

I don’t expect anyone else to read them, so I am doing it for myself. One reason is provide a record in case in the future I want to decide whether or not to purchase that wine again. Another is to attempt to sharpen my tasting skills by forcing myself to describe the wines better. In some way it’s just part of the hobby. Some have suggested that posting notes is a way to give back to the community of wine lovers, assuming anyone else chooses to read them. But none of these explanations is compelling to me. And no one else in my tasting group takes notes.

I know some of you take tasting notes, but why do you?

Stu

[jal]

In case I want to revisit a note from the past. The search function on our forum is now unusable.
And I do follow notes notes on wines on CellarTracker of a few of my favorite posters; you, DBG, and a few others...

[Comte Flaneur]

Stuart I was reading your notes on 55 Latour just last night because I will have an opportunity to taste this later in the week pending the outcome of a medical procedure tomorrow.

[stefan]

I take notes for family holidays partly to entertain my BWE friends (even if I know in my brain that almost no one reads them) but mainly because it forces my family to think about the wines we are drinking. Absent my note taking and demanding scores the family might just have a good time laughing and talking instead of doing something serious like appreciating the wine.

Other than during family holidays I take notes only if I think I will use them sometime (e.g. to buy the wine if I come across it or avoid buying it if I come across it or to follow its development). That is because I am basically a lazy slob. I very much appreciate your note taking, BTW.

[AKR]

A note lets one enjoy the wine twice - the first time when it is consumed, and the second when later the tasting note is revisited, bringing back the memories.

I diarize all kinds of things - trips, biz meetings, ideas on investments etc.

[SF Ed]

I post notes for myself when I have more than one bottle of the wine to remind myself about the quality and the drinking window to help me decide when to consume the others. If someone else gets value from them, that's great, but I do it just for my own benefit.

SF Ed

[DavidG]

Stuart, my guess is that if you find none of the reasons you listed as compelling, you’re probably writing TNs because of the same inherent personality traits that made you an excellent physician and administrator, part of which is a desire to observe and document. There’s a bit of that in me. I’m glad you do it, because I get a kick out of reading your notes.

Psychoanalysis aside, the main reasons I write TNs:
To follow a wine's development over time.
To be able to gauge when to open the next bottle.
To guess at where I think it will be and compare to where it really is.
To know when to finish the stash before it goes over the hill.
Those are compelling enough.
CellarTracker helps with that but no one knows my palate like me.

I also enjoy reading my notes and comparing them with others' when thinking about opening another bottle or just reminiscing.

And I enjoy having an archive to pull from when someone posts a note here or on WB. I'm too lazy search old threads to update with a contemporary note (kudos to Arv, a master at this!) or to start a thread for every bottle I drink. But having them accessible allows me to jump in on active threads. Participating in the online community is a significant part of my enjoyment.

Since I started using CT and participating online I have included references in many of my notes to help anyone who bothers reading them to understand where I’m coming from, but my main purpose is not to write as if I’m a critic. My results are not accurate or reproducible enough.

[Blanquito]

I also read your CT notes eagerly, Stu.

[BordeauxNut]

I write notes so that others can benefit from my experience and my experience with the wine. I read them to gauge when to drink my wine. I also like to occasionally reflect back on what I thought about a wine several years ago.

[Nicklasss]

Don't stop sdr. I read your note on wines I will probably never have the chance to taste. And as I met you a few times, and enjoyed some great Bordeaux (and other region) wines together, i know a bit your palate so it feel like I can have a better idea of what you describe.

Personnally, I write notes to remember which wines I like and which were just ok. But I'm not very discplined doing it.

Also, tn are a good starting point when your have an argument on a specific wine.

Nic

[Winona Chief]

I don't take tasting notes. I do pay careful attention to the tasting notes of about 30 people whose opinions I value. These include most of the BWEers like Stu, Stefan, Jim, DavidG, Ian, Blanquito, etc. Also pay attention to the notes posted by individuals I know from tasting groups and other wine boards that have palates that I understand. So keep posting your tasting notes, I am listening.

Chris Bublitz

[sdr]

Thanks gentlemen for the compliments and encouragement. Onward to 5000+.

Stu

[Michael-P]

Stu:
All the above good reasons. Thanks for all the helpful TNs!
Michael-P